


A Soul's Best Friend

by SuperHeroTiger



Series: Kindred Spirits [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Animal Soulmate AU, IronDad and SpiderSon, Irondad, NOT STARKER - Freeform, Peter Parker Gets a Hug, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Platonic Soulmates, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Soul Guide AU, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Gets a Hug, Tony Stark is bad at feelings, platonic soulmates au, spiderson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:15:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22114720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SuperHeroTiger/pseuds/SuperHeroTiger
Summary: In a world where meeting one's soulmate was never guaranteed, soulmates were gifted with Soul Guides; animal companions that represented the emotions and connection between the pair, ranging from small, meek rabbits to intimidating, scaly crocodiles. Regardless of what animal represented your soulmate, they would remain at your side through thick and thin to provide comfort and support when their soulmate could not.And what a beautiful idea it was, to know your soulmate was always with you, even if it were in the shape of an undyingly loyal companion? Tony wouldn’t know, because he didn’t have a Soul Guide.That was until one August morning in 2001 when Peter Parker was born.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Series: Kindred Spirits [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1669039
Comments: 375
Kudos: 1969
Collections: Avidreaders Avengers completed faves, Avidreaders Spiderman completed faves, Irondad and Spiderson, Irondad and his Iron kids, Marvel, The Best Irondad/Spiderson Fics, The Best Peter Parker Whump Fics, The Best of the Best MCU Fics, Tony Stark Has A Heart (deal with it)





	1. You're not Alone Anymore

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> I've had this idea in the back of my mind for a while now and had the sudden urge to finally write it in December, planning it to be a short story only for it to end up at +19K words instead. For that reason I've decided to split it up into 3 parts, and since it's all written I should be able to update it pretty soon after this is published! I'm a huge fan of platonic soulmate AU's and thought I'd give it a try! Hope you enjoy it!
> 
> -Superherotiger

Soulmates were an interesting concept to Tony.

Two separate souls indefinitely tied together regardless of how much distance stood in their way, destined to complete the other if they ever had the fortune of meeting. They came in many forms; partners, friends, siblings, parents. An invisible connection, a bond that only they alone could feel. It seemed strange to Tony how so many people could trust a force they were never able to truly hold or touch.

But he supposed that’s why Soul Guides existed, so that people _could_ feel something solid and real about their soulmate. A shard of their spirit that had broken off to forever support their missing half. They revealed themselves in the forms of animal companions that were only visible to the pair of soulmates, ranging from small, meek rabbits to intimidating, scaly crocodiles. Regardless of what animal represented your soulmate, they would remain at your side through thick and thin to provide comfort and support when their soulmate could not.

What a beautiful idea it was, to know your soulmate was always with you, even if it were in the shape of an undyingly loyal companion?

Tony wouldn’t know, because he didn’t have a Soul Guide.

He had waited in anticipation his entire childhood for the day an animal would miraculously burst into view, just for him to see, just for him to hold. He dreamed of it every night, the moment he would finally have a soulmate of his own, but the years slipped by like grains of sand and still, nothing came for him. _“Be patient Tesoro, your Soul Guide will come when the time is ready,”_ his mother had assured him as he had wallowed in loneliness on his tenth birthday. Tony tried to hold out hope a little longer, but the years turned to decades until finally, any hope of finding his elusive soulmate became nothing more than a distant memory.

Tony resigned himself to his work and tried to ignore the burning in his chest whenever he saw Pepper stroking the air where a regal peacock stood, or when Rhodey scratched his fingers through the tough fur of his unseen platypus. He could never see them of course, but he would find himself watching intently, silently fuming that he didn’t have a companion of his own to hold. They were the only few people in the entire world who knew that the great Tony Stark had never received a Soul Guide, and much to their credit, they tried their best to fill the void it had left in his wake. But it wasn’t the same. He was missing something, a part of his spirit, and he could only wonder where it had gone.

It wouldn’t be until the morning of August 10th, 2001 that he finally found it again.

Lost in the depths of slumber and what he could only assume was an alcohol-induced coma, Tony was surprised to feel something warm shifting at his side beneath the silk sheets. If it was another nameless girl he’d talked into bed he sure as hell didn’t remember it, but that blurry thought fell into confusion when the little ball of heat wriggled to a top of his chest and made it hard to breath.

Tony grumbled out a protest at the weight and moved to push whatever it was away, only for his hands to be met with… _fur_?

Forcing his crusty eyes to open Tony didn’t even have a moment to process the golden fluffy face staring down at him before a wet, sticky tongue began running across his cheeks in an excited barrage.

“Ugh!” Tony immediately exclaimed as he raised his arms in a feeble defence. “Pepper! _Pepper!_ ”

His head still pounding with a hangover, Tony managed to catch a grip on his attacker and pull him away just long enough to sit up in a daze, blinking away the spots until he could finally understand the sight before him. The offender was small, with big fluffy ears and chocolate brown eyes that were just bursting with energy. Soft, golden curls. A happy little grin.

Tony couldn’t believe it.

It was a dog. A golden retriever to be precise, and judging by its small stature and adorably chubby cheeks, it was only a puppy too.

Tony found himself blinking in awe at the small creature in his hands, who wagged his little tail and sniffed at his fingers curiously. Even in his fuzzy state Tony knew it was undeniable cute. It didn’t have a collar but it inspected its surroundings with the curiosity of a child, innocent and pure and ready to explore. Tony was sure his heart melted when it suddenly met his gaze and released a pleased squeak.

“Hey buddy,” Tony spoke, his voice surprisingly gentle. “You a little lost?”

The puppy just kicked his legs back and forth playfully, making Tony chuckle a little.

“That’s okay. Not sure who you belong to, but I’ll find ‘em for you,” he assured him, though he wasn’t entirely sure why. It’s not like it could understand him or anything, but it just felt… _right._

The familiar symphony of heels clicking against tiles caught Tony’s attention before Pepper had even stepped into the room, the woman looking the definition of professional and staring at him with thinly veiled impatience. “You called?” she asked, her lips tilting into the smallest of smiles.

“Yeah, I suppose you let this little guy into my room huh?” Tony smirked as he jumped the puppy up and down in his hands. “Very cute, but I’ll have you know it’s rude to interrupt my valuable hours of sleep.”

Pepper’s face screwed up in confusion. “What?”

“The dog,” Tony reiterated, gesturing down to the soft, fluffy bundle who huffed at him cheerfully. “It’s a cute prank and all but I could have used a little more rest personally.”

Pepper just stared at him with that same puzzled look, turning her eyes down to where the puppy was held in Tony’s calloused hands before her expression dropped entirely. She looked like she’d seen a ghost, and the billionaire was almost certain she would faint right there on the spot. “You right?” he asked cautiously as he sat the puppy back onto the sheets, ready to jump to her aid if she did in fact collapse.

“Tony…” she whispered, her eyes as wide as saucers. “You’re telling me… there’s a dog there?”

“You must be going blind Pep, he’s kind of hard to miss,” he said with a chuckle when the puppy began climbing up his chest again. He scratched his fingers through the dog’s soft curls and smiled down at the adorable bundle trying to lick his face again.

But when he lifted his gaze back to Pepper, Tony was surprised to see her smiling back at him with barely contained tears. “Do I need to call a doctor?” he said teasingly.

“Tony, don’t you understand what’s happening?” she asked, her dead serious tone jarring with her overwhelmingly joyful expression. It was confusing, and for Tony who was already emotionally inept as it was, he wasn’t sure he could understand the many conflicting emotions his assistant was portraying.

It wasn’t until Pepper said her next words that it really sunk in why she was so excited.

“Tony, I can’t see the dog.”

He froze. Completely, whole-body froze. “You what?” he asked breathlessly.

Pepper just nodded with that barely suppressed smile, repeating “I can’t see him. You’re patting thin air as far as I can tell.”

Tony looked down at those big doe eyes that stared back at him with all the love in the world, then looked back up at Pepper, then back at the dog. His chest was suddenly tight, and his eyes began to water without reason. It couldn’t be… no, it wasn’t _possible!_

Scooping the puppy into his hands again he held the dog towards Pepper and asked with tears burning in his eyes “You can’t see him? You really mean it?!”

Smiling warmly, the woman stepped forward and lowered her hand to where the puppy was hanging in his grasp. And where her hand should have stopped and felt that heavenly soft fur, it instead passed straight through as if he weren’t even there at all. And for Pepper he wasn’t. But for Tony, it was the most real thing he had ever seen in his life.

Turning the puppy back around to face him, Tony couldn’t hold back the wet laughter as he pulled the dog close and cradled him against his chest. “I don’t- I can’t believe it, it’s not possible,” he practically sobbed into his soft pelt. “You came! You really came…”

The puppy nuzzled into Tony’s neck and licked at his chin affectionately while Tony continued to cry his relief. “I thought you’d never find me…” he whispered shakily, his lips splitting into a weary grin as he murmured “But you were worth the wait -god, you’re so worth it buddy.”

He squeaked enthusiastically at that, and pulling back just enough to see his new companion’s face again, Tony’s expression softened as he asked “You like that name? Buddy?”

He barked again.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Tony laughed, pulling the puppy -Buddy- back into his firm embrace and praying that this wasn’t a dream. That this wasn’t some drunken hallucination to torment him like in his childhood. Thirty years. God, thirty years of thinking that there was no one in the entire world that would ever want him, no one in the world that would stay with him. And then this beautiful, perfect dog shows up and Tony finally feels _alive_ for the first time in decades.

Doubt threatens to spoil his moment of pure elation at the idea of him still being black out drunk in a bar somewhere across the city, dreaming of a companion he would never hold. But just as quickly as the thought came Buddy began licking at his ear reassuringly, as if to let him know it was okay. That he was there. That he was _real._

And then it dawned on him. Not only did Tony finally -after all these decades- have a Soul Guide, but now there was also a _soulmate_ somewhere in the world too, waiting to meet him. And one day he would find them, no matter how long it took. After all, he was pretty good at waiting…

* * *

**…**

* * *

Peter Parker had always had a Soul Guide.

He figured he must have had one since birth considering even his earliest memories were always accompanied by his furry little companion, and Uncle Ben told him that he had been reaching and cooing for the invisible friend ever since he was a baby. As a child they would always see him chasing something around the house, squealing and giggling in joy when he finally caught the air in a tight embrace. Whenever his parents asked what he was doing he would always proclaim with that childish grin “Playing tag with Tiger!”

His parents had been concerned at first that their little boy had been partnered with a vicious, wild big cat, before he had drawn them a picture of _‘Tiger’_ and put their worries to rest.

It was only a simple house cat, -which Peter would later learn to be a Siberian in future years- with beautiful silver-fur and long, dark stripes that reached from the very tip of his tail to the markings around his stark blue eyes. Peter loved to pet Tiger’s soft fur if he ever gave him the chance to, because just like any other cat he was a bit of a recluse. Not always keen on contact, but fond of curling up at Peter’s feet as the boy scribbled away on homework or sat through hours of movie marathons.

Peter didn’t mind. In fact, he grew to enjoy the silent company that would press against his leg or nestle into his side at night when it got too cold. It was gentle, and it was constant. It was enough.

And then the crash happened, and Ben and May were crying, and they were trying to tell him something- something about his parents. They weren’t coming back. Peter didn’t understand why, but the more he asked, the more his Aunt cried and hugged him and told him it would be okay. It was all too much, and suddenly he was packing up his room and moving to Uncle Ben’s apartment in Queens because his parents were _gone_. They were gone and they weren’t coming back, ever, and he was alone, all alone…

Peter cried into his pillow the first night he stayed with his Aunt and Uncle. He was sure to be quiet, because he didn’t want either of them to know. He wasn’t exactly sure why, but he just wanted to be alone, because that’s what he was now, wasn’t it? Alone.

At some point in the night Peter heard the soft patter of paws thrumming against the carpet until it was followed by a sudden dip in the mattress. The boy was able to stifle his sobs just long enough to see those luminescent eyes flickering at the end of his bed as the moonlight poured onto Tiger’s majestic pelt, his usually confident gaze staring upon his partner with some form of uncertainty. Could Soul Guides be confused? He wasn’t really sure.

It was usually something he would ask his mother -who was always so brilliant in describing the world of soulmates to him- but now the mere thought of her kind voice sent him spiralling into tears again.

Tiger skirted the edge of Peter’s bed hesitantly, pawing at his covered toes in what he assumed was an attempt to comfort him, but just led Peter to bury his face into the blankets and coil his legs up to his chest. He didn’t want Tiger to see him like this. He didn’t want _anyone_ to see him like this.

Peter thought his companion might have left when the bed didn’t shift for a while, before he suddenly felt a warmth press against his hair, the only part of his body not engulfed in blankets. Peter lifted his head with a sniffle only for Tiger to suddenly slip under the blanket and wriggle his way around until his head was resting just beneath the boy’s chin. Peter was surprised to say the least, since he knew the cat was not overly fond of cramped spaces and definitely not one to curl up to Peter’s chest. He was certain Tiger would leave after too long in the cocoon of sheets and blankets, but Peter was pleasantly surprised when the cat remained peacefully nestled into the crook of his neck after a few passing minutes.

He didn’t seem intent on moving, and Peter took that as an opportunity to embrace the feline like he had always dreamt of doing. He moved his arms cautiously around the cat and waited for a warning scratch or hiss like he had done so many times before. But when Tiger didn’t object, Peter found himself both relieved and -more embarrassingly- starting to cry again. He tried to hold back the tears but they burnt at his vision like lava until his chest was hitching in those painful, muted sobs once more.

Little paws started gently swiping at his chin until Peter found himself breathing out laughter instead of weeps, looking down into those entrancing blue eyes that stared back at him with a gentleness like he’d never seen before. Twisting his fingers into the delicate fur, Peter found himself whispering to his companion “You won’t leave me… will you…?”

Tiger mewled and Peter couldn’t help but giggle as his little whiskers tickled at his nose.

“Thanks Tiger, I know I can always count on you…” he smiled shakily, running his fingers through the cat’s soft pelt one final time before closing his eyes with a sigh. With the familiar weight in his arms and the rumble of Tiger’s soft purrs trembling through his chest, Peter was finally able to fall into a long, empty slumber.

The months went on and Tiger continued to curl up beside Peter’s pillow every night, snuggling into his chest on the bad ones when the boy wold wake with nightmares of plane crashes or orphanages. Peter was always grateful for his stable presence whenever the loneliness got too much, because he knew Tiger would never abandon him. No matter where, no matter when, Peter always had Tiger, and Tiger always had Peter.

Or so he thought, because in February of 2008, something horrible happened. Something that would be ingrained into Peter’s memory for the rest of his life.

It started on a lazy, Sunday morning with clear blue skies and birds singing through the air. Uncle Ben had taken Peter out for their weekly ice-cream route in the park, and while Peter happily gnawed away at his waffle cone he watched as Tiger trotted around the grass with his tail held high in pride. The cat seemed to think he was the boss wherever they went.

But then Tiger shrieked an awful, high pitched cry and started running around the trees, wailing and screeching as if he were being pursued by a monster. Peter was on his feet immediately, ice-cream forgotten on the ground as he ran to catch his distressed companion with Ben scrambling to follow the boy. “Peter _wait_!” Ben had cried.

“Something’s wrong with Tiger! He needs help!” Peter exclaimed, desperately trying to reach the cat that was now trying to scale a nearby tree in haste.

Not wanting him to get too far out of reach Peter made a fatal mistake and tried to grab the distressed guide in his arms, only for Tiger to hiss and lash out his claws in a wild rage. Peter dropped him with a pained cry and clutched at his wrists, expecting there to be blood but seeing no such markings across his skin. Still, the pain rippled across his arms like fire, and Peter looked up with teary eyes to see Tiger hissing at him with his hackles raised defensively. Empty, slitted eyes unable to recognise his longest friend.

This was not the cat that Peter knew. Something was wrong, something was terribly wrong.

And then Tiger’s icy blue eyes widened, his whole body freezing like a rock. There was an emotion so foreign in his gaze that Peter almost thought he’d misread it. _Fear_.

Tiger looked down, and Peter felt his whole world shatter when he saw deep crimson _blood_ soaking into the silver fur of the cat’s chest. And before Peter could even mutter a word Tiger was falling unceremoniously to the ground in a pile of limp fur. It all seemed to go by in a blur as Peter bounded forward to scoop the lifeless cat into his arms, choking on his sobs when that sickly blood smeared against his shirt. “Wake up! Wake up!” Peter screamed, shaking Tiger in his hold and trembling when the cat’s head just lolled from side to side like a ragdoll, his half-lidded eyes glazed and unfocused. “Tiger stop! This isn’t funny! Please, _wake up!_ ”

It didn’t take long for Ben to be at Peter’s side, trying to understand what the boy was saying through his breathless sobs of terror. He was shaking, he was sure of it. Tiger had never done this before. He had always been calm, confident, and it seemed wrong that such a powerful animal could suddenly be so still and _lifeless_.

“Peter, tell me what happened,” Ben’s firm voice drew the boy from his panic.

“He- he was sc-screaming, and, and then- and then there was _b-blood_ ,” Peter stumbled out, clutching Tiger tighter to his chest as he said brokenly “There’s _blood_ , on his chest- its, its everywhere and I- I- he’s not _moving_!”

Ben’s expression was carefully schooled to be blank, but Peter could still see the panic fluttering across his eyes. This wasn’t normal, and he knew it.

Without another word, Ben helped Peter to his feet and lead him back to the car, ignoring the many eyes that watched the two from all sides. Peter didn’t care about their whispers, or their scrutinising stares. What did it matter when Tiger was in his arms as cold as icy and heavy as a stone? Peter felt his stomach churn with each minute that passed, instinctively stroking his friend’s long fur in the hopes he would feel him and wake up.

The cat didn’t respond, didn’t so much as flinch the entire ride back home in the car, even as Peter murmured shaky ramblings and promises to his friend. His pleas of _“I’ll give you all my deserts for the next year, and all the fish you could ever want,”_ and _“I’ll buy you one of those big climbing trees, y’know, the ones that go to the roof?”_ fell on deaf ears however, and Peter found himself gazing up at his Uncle who stared at the road with cold, narrowed eyes. “Uncle Ben?” the boy finally asked, hating the way his voice cracked.

“Yeah Pete?” he replied smoothly.

“Is Tiger gonna be okay?”

Ben’s fingers clenched around the steering wheel. “I don’t know Pete.”

Peter bowed his head and gazed down at the cat nestled in his embrace, almost bigger than the eight-year-old himself when his fur was all puffed up. Tiger’s chest and belly were still stained with blood, as was Peter’s arms and space-themed shirt -though he wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to wear it again after today- and Peter couldn’t help the question that left his mouth next.

“Is he dying?” Peter asked softly.

A few moments passed before Ben finally replied, his voice heavy with sorrow as he said “I’m not sure, but… don’t lose hope.”

Peter didn’t speak again for the rest of the trip home, trudging up the stairs to their apartment and practically collapsing into May’s arms the moment she opened the door. Once Ben had hurriedly filled her in on the dreaded news they lead Peter to the lounge and set him and Tiger up with a nest of blankets and pillows and snacks to last for days. When May came back in with a box of tissues Peter had ripped off his space shirt and asked her to get rid of it, adamant that he didn’t want it anymore when May promised there was nothing on it. Because to Peter there would always be those red smears, that ungodly copper smell. He couldn’t wear it again, not now, not ever.

After May had disposed of the shirt both her and Uncle Ben had sat down beside the boy who remained staring down at the barely breathing cat against his chest and asked if there was anything he wanted them to do.

“I want Tiger to be okay,” Peter had answered childishly.

May tucked a stray curl behind his ear and explained patiently “We all do baby, but sometimes, bad things happen to our soulmates that might cause our guides to be injured.”

Peter hadn’t thought about it like that, and finally breaking his eyes from Tiger since leaving the car, asked softly “Is my soulmate hurt?”

“It’s possible,” she said, and he was thankful for her ever-calming presence when he felt the tears begin to rise again. “All we can do is wait, and hope that whatever has happened to your soulmate will pass.”

Peter rubbed his nose with a sniffle, muttering sourly “I don’t like waiting.”

And Ben -being the angel that he was- stood up with a tight smile and proclaimed “No, but you do like Star Wars. How about a marathon while we pass the time?”

Peter shared a glance with May who smiled encouragingly in return, and even though he knew it was just a way to distract him from the dying friend in his arms, the Parkers found themselves settling down on the lounge as _A New Hope_ blasted from their old box TV. With May on his left and Ben on his right, they created a soft, protective barrier around their nephew and prayed that a miracle would grace them for once instead of death. No one deserved to watch their soulmate’s death played through the loss of their guide, let alone Peter who had already endured so much. So they hoped and prayed and begged to a higher power that tonight would not tear away Peter’s only friend, and settled down for a long afternoon.

That night every news channel in the city began reporting about the sudden and horrific kidnapping of billionaire genius Tony Stark, though the Parkers had long since fallen asleep at that point, too exhausted from the morning’s traumatic event to notice.

* * *

**…**

* * *

Jolting awake in a cold sweat, Tony’s legs wavered like a newborn deer as he tried to regain his bearings. His surroundings were pitch black, but he thought there was a light piercing somewhere through the darkness. It was blue, and small, and coming from…

Tony rested his hand against the arc reactor in his chest and released a heavy sigh, collapsing back into the seat he had just been dozing in.

It was just a dream, he told himself. Another stupid dream about that damn cave. About Yinsen. About the life draining from his friend’s eyes right as they made it to the mouth of the tunnel. They had been so _close_! Why did Yinsen have to be a self-sacrificing moron and get himself killed? He should have saved himself, because Tony wasn’t worth it…

A scuffling noise broke the silence and Tony was back on his feet in an instant, snapping “JARVIS lights.”

The room was suddenly flooded with light, shadows retreating to the corners of the desolated lab and revealing the form of Tony’s most recent intruder. The mechanic melted in relief.

“Hey Buddy,” he cooed gently, reaching out for the dog that pattered across the tiles dopily. “Sorry for blinding you, you gave me a bit of a scare there.”

The retriever huffed before leaning into his partner’s calloused hand, eyes still glazed with sleep.

“Didn’t wake you up did I?” Tony asked regretfully.

Buddy just pressed against his leg and wagged his tail lazily.

After Tony had first woken up to find his Soul Guide all those years ago, he had done extensive research about their connection and how one’s actions might be affecting their soulmate on the other end. He’d cut out the alcohol almost immediately for fear of his soulmate having to deal with an unstable or possible even dangerous animal whenever he was drunk, and tried his best to enforce a regular sleep schedule. The last thing he wanted was his soulmate getting woken up by his guide at some ungodly hour in the morning because Tony couldn’t help but tinker.

Of course, he couldn’t always help it though, and he felt even worse after everything that had happened in Afghanistan. He could only imagine what his soulmate would have been going through the entire three months he had been missing, and he knew that they must have felt something since Buddy more often than not was at his side and offering whatever comfort he could whenever he was awake. Tony couldn’t be more thankful for his Soul Guide in those dark moments…

Nevertheless, times had passed and after foiling Obadiah’s illegal weapon dealings and destroying his Iron Monger suit, Stark Industries was finally on the right track again. Tony on the other hand was a bit more debatable. His sleep was constantly wracked with nightmares and memories; blood on his hands, metal in his chest. He wondered if they would ever leave him be.

But Buddy -being the ever-loyal guide he was- would find his way to Tony’s side regardless of what state he found him in, offering a stable presence when Tony was consumed by endless thoughts. Even now he had followed him without question to be his lighthouse in the midst of the murky night. What did he ever do to deserve such a perfect guide?

“Come on boy, let’s get back to bed huh?” Tony said as he scratched at Buddy’s fluffy ear. He hated to think he’d woken up his soulmate somewhere across the world, and hopefully if they went to bed now, they could get some shuteye in before morning.

So taking the lead, Tony and Buddy trekked back up the stairs and into the master bedroom, collapsing onto the bed face-first with Buddy jumping on his back a moment later. “Ugh, you’re too heavy for this,” Tony moaned as he rolled over and ruffled the dog’s fur playfully.

Buddy mockingly tried to bite his fingers and swatted at Tony’s head with his paw.

“Alright, alright, ‘m going to sleep,” Tony yawned.

The lights dimmed without prompting as the man hauled himself under the covers, Buddy padding around in a circle before finally laying down on the blanket with his head resting on Tony’s arm. He blinked at him sluggishly with those big doe eyes and whined happily when Tony scratched behind his ears again. “You’re just a big softie,” Tony teased the dog lightly.

As if to retaliate to the comment Buddy caught his hand between his paws and began licking at his fingers, to which Tony feigned horror and wiped his slobber-soaked hand back into the dog’s face. “You’re gross, you know that?” he sighed dramatically, rolling onto his side to better face his companion. “Ready to sleep?”

Buddy barked in approval, and with a weary mumble from Tony, the lights extinguished completely until the gentle glow of the arc reactor was all that could be seen through the darkness. It was quiet. Uncomfortably quiet. And Tony couldn’t help but shudder at the thought of the nightmares awaiting him when he closed his eyes. He could still feel Obadiah’s cold touch as he pulled the reactor out of his chest, grinning down at him with that wicked gleam in his eyes. The mere thought made Tony tense in alarm, fisting the blankets into his hands to assure himself that he could still move. That he wasn’t pinned to that lounge, alone and helpless and _dying._

Tony found himself staring off blankly until he felt a shift in the blankets and turned to see Buddy lying closer to his face now, eyes wide awake and seemingly staring into his soul. His usually golden fur seemed blue in the light of the reactor, and Tony couldn’t help but scoff, “You should be asleep.”

Buddy didn’t break his intense stare, as if saying _‘You should be asleep too, stupid,’_ with mere looks alone.

“I’m fine,” Tony found himself saying, more so to himself than the dog at this point. “Really, I just… find it hard to sleep sometimes, that’s all. It’s nothing.”

The look of pure understanding and sympathy on Buddy’s face was overwhelming, and Tony forced himself to stare at the roof as he muttered “It’s just… when it gets quiet I think, and when I think I start to regret, and then I wonder… if there’s even a point to anything…?”

Buddy whined, and unable to resist, Tony turned back to his companion and softened at those glistening puppy dog eyes. He looked saddened by his friend’s confession but nuzzled his head into Tony’s chest affectionately to comfort him. Tony smiled and scratched behind the dog’s ear as a warmth filled the emptiness in mind, soothing and gentle and powerful in a way the genius couldn’t describe. He knew it was because of Buddy, and more specifically, his soulmate influencing Buddy. But still, it was a gentle, loving feeling that wrapped around him like a blanket in the midst of winter, protecting him from the biting cold winds of his own thoughts. And for a moment, the darkness parted, and Tony was at peace.

“Thanks Buddy,” Tony sighed in his relief. “You always know how to make things better.”

Buddy blinked up at him lazily, a hint of pride in his chocolate eyes.

“Sorry to keep you up,” Tony found himself saying as he allowed his eyes to slip shut. “I promise I’ll stay out of trouble for a while, yeah?”

A disbelieving huff was the only reply he got before Buddy’s breathing evened out at his side, falling into sync with Tony’s as they both drifted off into slumber. He was surprised by how quickly he was able to fall asleep but relieved to say he woke up the next morning without a single hint of lingering nightmares, no terror creeping up his spine or phantom hands against his chest. And he owed it all to Buddy.

Tony couldn’t wait to meet his soulmate.

* * *

**…**

* * *

The years went on at a terrifyingly fast pace, with Tony getting mixed up with the Avengers and alien invasions and Peter getting thrown into the chaotic waters of high school.

Ever since Tiger’s brush with death it wasn’t uncommon for Peter to find small cuts and grazes upon his Soul Guide’s once flawless pelt, bruises welling at his crystal eyes or blood at the tips of his claws. On bad days when the cat seemed more injured than usual Peter would bundle him up in his arms and wrap them in a cacoon of blankets on the couch, finishing homework or binge-watching a show until his injuries had cleared. Usually they left no scars or marks by the next morning, except for the narrow scar running down the centre of his chest from that awful day at the park. No matter how many years passed it never seemed to fade, but Peter didn’t mind. He was just glad Tiger was _alive_ at all.

Tony on the other hand had watched Buddy grow more and more reserved as time surged on, the dog still getting bouts of excitement -outside of school hours, Tony observed- but more often than not finding the dog staring out a window in a strangely subdued nature. It didn’t take a genius to know that if Buddy was only fifteen than so was Tony’s soulmate, which might explain why his guide was having such drastic mood swings throughout the week. Tony wasn’t bothered though, and simply offered a few more head scratches and belly rubs on the days Buddy seemed under the weather, hoping his soulmate would feel the reassurance he hoped to portray.

In late autumn of 2015 though, Buddy came down with a horrible sickness that seemed to drain every ounce of energy out of the usually lively dog. Tony wasn’t sure what had happened since Buddy had seemed more excited than usual in the morning, only for his health to take a nosedive in the afternoon, and what Tony could only describe as fighting for his life in the middle of the night. The mechanic stayed up with him the entire night, soothing down his fur as the dog wretched and shuddered in his arms. Panic began to override Tony’s common sense as the hours ticked by, calling and begging Rhodey to help him in fear that he would lose his soulmate only for Rhodey to regretfully explain that there was nothing anyone could do. The only option was to wait, which according to Pepper, was not one of his strongest qualities.

Still, Tony persevered with his sickly guide, and after a torturous two days stuck in bed Buddy seemed to bounce back healthier and happier than ever. It was a miracle by all accounts, and Tony celebrated his soulmate’s recovery with a long walk through Central Park for Buddy to enjoy the outdoors once more. It filled Tony with such joy to see the dog chase after an innocent butterfly like he used to, and he hoped Buddy would always look this happy.

Of course, you can only hope for so long.

A mere month after his dramatic comeback Tony was startled from his work on the newest Ironman suit when Buddy released an agonising howl into the lab, deep and harsh and laden with sorrow. Tony was quick to approach the dog who had pressed himself into the corner with hunched shoulders, barking and howling as if he had been wounded, though no obvious injuries were present. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Tony tried to sooth, but Buddy was far too lost in panic to notice the mechanic.

“Fri, get me whatever you can on distressed soul guides,” Tony asked anxiously.

Buddy had always been a happy dog, friendly and playful and filled with a contagious type of energy. It seemed wrong that such an awful sound could tear itself from his mouth, the anguish so unfitting to the dog Tony had known for all these years.

Some part in the back of Tony’s mind wondered why his soulmate was even still awake this late at night, but it was quickly forgotten when Buddy howled once more, this time with tears slipping down the edges of his muzzle. Unable to bear the sight of his friend in pain, Tony lowered himself to his knees and carefully began stroking the fur on the back of his neck. When Buddy just whimpered and pushed himself into his hand, Tony took that as an opportunity to shuffle forward and wrap his arms around the shuddering dog, whispering reassuringly “It’s alright, I got you, I got you…”

“Boss, I have the information you requested,” Friday’s voice chimed across the roof.

“Read it to me,” Tony said as he repositioned himself against the wall, Buddy laying across his legs and whimpering into his chest.

“Extreme and sudden distress in a soul guide may indicate that the attached soulmate is in immediate danger, being threatened, or experiencing the loss of a loved one.”

Tony swallowed down the lump that had formed in his throat and asked shakily “What… what if the soul guide is crying?”

A beat of silence passed as Friday undoubtedly scanned through streams of information, leaving the room to fill with the sounds of Buddy’s heartbreaking sobs while all Tony could do was sooth down the golden curls on his head.

After a minute Friday’s voice returned and explained “Crying in soul guides often indicates the soulmate is experiencing loss, sir. From the multiple sources I have covered, it seems comforting the guide is the only way to help when not knowing the identity of your soulmate.”

“Thanks Fri,” Tony sighed, running his fingers through Buddy’s heavenly soft fur with a new sense of dread. He was no stranger to loss. His parents. Jarvis. Tony knew how deep the pit of grief could be, how it could drag you down like the waves of a violent ocean and drown you under the weight. But when he was younger, he didn’t have a soulmate to offer him comfort, to hold him and promise that he wasn’t alone anymore. And Tony wouldn’t let his soulmate feel the same loneliness that he had.

“I’m here, I’m here now, I promise, I won’t let go,” Tony whispered, leaning down until his chin rested against Buddy’s forehead. “I don’t know who you lost Buddy, but I’m here… I’m here for you…”

Buddy had fallen silent but his shoulders still shook with repressed sobs, leaning further into Tony’s chest when he started to grow weak on his legs. The mechanic just held him close and rocked from side to side, trying not to break himself when he felt the wet tears soak through his shirt. This wasn’t fair. Buddy -his _soulmate_ \- didn’t deserve this. They had done this before, years and years ago. He remembered now the night he woke up to find Buddy shivering and whimpering in the corner of his room, as if he had been drenched with icy water that he couldn’t shake off. Tony had held him them too, head to his chest, promising him it would be okay. That everything would be alright.

Tony wasn’t sure he could say the same thing this time, not with how horrific the first cries had been. So instead he cradled the dog close and promised him something new, something he would fight tooth and nail to come true.

“I’ll _always_ be here for you, Buddy. Every day, every hour… I’m here, I’m here… I promise, I’ll be here with you…”

Across the city, Peter clutched onto his uncle’s blood-stained jacket as paramedics carried Ben Parker’s lifeless body away on a gurney, a hole in his chest graced from the gunman he’d tried to stop. Police had tried to ask the boy questions about the attacker, but all he could do was cry, and break, and shatter into a million pieces on the sidewalk, blood smeared up to his elbows and tears streaming down his face.

Uncle Ben was gone, he was _dead_ , and it was all his fault.

A cat -visible to Peter alone- pressed against the boy’s side, mewling softly in reassurance. _‘I’m here, you’re not alone, I’ve got you,’_ he seemed to be saying, unspoken promises drifting through those fierce blue eyes.

_I’m here, I’m here…_

Peter pulled the cat close and cried harder into his soft fur.


	2. Did I Ever Deserve You?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Accords have torn the Avengers apart at the seams and Tony is in desperate need of backup. Perhaps a certain spider from Queens can offer him a hand?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my goodness, thank you all so, so much for the amazing support this story has gotten! I was blown away by the positive response and I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the concept as much as I did! I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter too, and the final chapter will be posted in about three days. Thanks again, and have an amazing day!
> 
> -Superherotiger

Dull sunlight poured down over Peter’s face as he paced through the bustling streets of Queens, absentmindedly listening to his headphones as he observed the city. It was clear skies today with only a few harmless white clouds drifting by, as peaceful as it could be with all the usual racket of traffic and chatter. Peter liked days like this, days where things seemed almost perfect, just for a moment.

It had been six months since Peter was acquainted with a certain radioactive spider, and five since his Uncle had bled out on the sidewalk in his arms. Peter never stopped thinking about him. Not when he saw the mournful lines that still marked May’s face like scars. Not when he walked through the same park he and Ben used to traverse every Sunday morning. And not when he donned the mask and accepted his new future as the vigilante Spiderman.

Ben was always in his mind, and in his heart. For Peter, fighting crime in his late uncle’s name was the only way to keep his spirit alive, to keep him close, even if he was gone.

So strolling towards his apartment at a leisurely pace, Peter ducked into a few alleys along the way to scout for any discarded equipment he could restore. Tinkering with broken mechanics had become a pleasant distraction away from all the chaos in his life, and he found that the ability to restore something with his own two hands tended to calm his racing mind. Pulled him away from the crushing weight of Spiderman and schoolwork and grief.

As Peter dragged a bent but, fixable DVD player from a dumpster, he heard a sharp mewl from his side and smiled down at the cat waiting impatiently by his feet. “I’m almost done Tiger, promise,” he assured his soul guide. “And look, this one is still in pretty good condition too.”

If cats could roll their eyes, Tiger would have done so.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” Peter teased as he threw his backpack over his shoulder and carried the DVD player with his other hand.

Together they set back on their journey to the apartment, and with Tiger’s fierce discouragement, Peter refrained from searching anymore dumpsters along the way. Peter did, however, jokingly attempt to escape just to get on the cat’s nerves. Safe to say Tiger was less than impressed by Peter’s sense of humour.

But before long they were in the elevator and turning the corner towards their apartment, stopping in their tracks when they saw a peculiar sight awaiting them. There was a dog sitting in front of his door; a golden retriever Peter suspected with its golden yellow curls and long drooping ears. It mustn’t have been that old since its tail wagged with pent up energy and deep brown eyes seemed to be brimming with curiosity.

It looked friendly enough, so continuing forward with a light smile, Peter reached out to the dog and cooed “Hey buddy, what are you doing here?”

The dog twisted to face the boy with surprise, staring at Peter’s outstretched hand with a confused tilt of his head.

“I won’t hurt you,” Peter assured softly. “I promise.”

Cautiously, the dog leant forward and sniffed at his fingers, before pressing forward into his palm with a tense flick of his tail. A rush of warmth swelled in Peter’s chest at the touch, which he simply put down to the adorable sight of the dog’s tail wagging excitedly in response.

“Aw, aren’t you a softie?” Peter said as he began to scratch the fur on his head, earning a pleased grumble from the retriever. “I wonder who you belong to…” Peter thought aloud when he realised there was no collar around his neck, though his fur was far too pristine to be a stray. Which only led the boy to wonder how the dog got up here in the first place, let alone to sit at the front of his door specifically.

His questions were quickly forgotten when Tiger began scratching at his leg impatiently, Peter twisting to face his soul guide with a disapproving frown. “Hey, no claws!” Peter hissed as he rubbed the tender spot on his thigh. He knew the cat would never intentionally harm him, but it still hurt, even if it didn’t leave a mark.

Tiger seemed to realise this when a flash of remorse crossed his eyes, but Peter was already tired after a long day at school and just said sharply “If you want to go inside just do it, I’m not stopping you.”

There was a moment of hesitation, before the cat trotted ahead and phased through the door, his tail dragging at his feet. Peter loved his soul guide with all his heart, but damnit he could be a pain in the ass sometimes.

Turning back to the dog with a sigh, Peter offered him one last scratch behind the ear before saying “I’d better check on Grumpy Cat. Mind staying here for a minute until I can help find your owner?”

The dog stared up at Peter with those big doe eyes, a lazy smile splitting across his muzzle.

“Alright, don’t go anywhere,” Peter said lightly as he pulled the keys from his pocket and stepped inside. He took one look over his shoulder before shutting the door to make sure the dog would stay, and sure enough, he was still sitting in the exact same spot as before, staring up at him with those entrancing eyes. He could have let him in, but Peter would prefer to check with May first. Besides, she may know why he was there to begin with, and he didn’t want to assume he was a stray if he had an owner nearby.

So closing the door behind him, Peter slid his backpack off his shoulder and called “Hey May.”

“Hey,” May’s warm voice replied, as smooth as honey. “How was school today?”

Peter shrugged as he dumped his belongings on the table, his mind still racing with thoughts about that strange dog as he said “Okay… but hey, I don’t know if you saw outside, but there’s this…”

Peter’s words trailed off into nothing when he turned the corner to see a man sitting beside his Aunt on the couch, freezing like a rock at the sight of the face he had so often seen on television and magazines. Was he dreaming? He had to be dreaming.

“Oh, Mr Parker,” Tony Stark, _the_ Tony Stark greeted him.

Peter felt like a deer caught in headlights, and judging by the man’s amused expression, it probably showed too. So clearing his throat and trying his best not to spontaneously combust, Peter stumbled out “Um, what, what are you doing- hey, I’m um- um Peter.”

The man smirked at the awkward introduction, replying “Tony,” as if Peter wouldn’t know one of the most recognisable billionaires in the world, and not to mention, one of the lead Avengers at that.

Forcing his nerves to calm into a barely controlled smile, Peter asked “What are you- what are you doing here?”

“It’s about time we met. You’ve been getting my emails, right?” he said, followed by a horribly obvious wink.

“Yeah…?” Peter said unsurely. “Regarding the…”

“You didn’t even tell me about the grant,” May cut in thankfully.

“About the grant,” Peter echoed like a broken record.

“September foundation,” Tony offered the obviously floundering teenager. “Remember when you applied?”

No, he definitely did not remember applying. “Uh, yeah.”

“I approved, so now, we’re in business,” Tony said, shooting him a pointed look to play along. Not that Peter even knew what he was playing along with if he were being honest.

May cut in first though, asking almost dejectedly “You didn’t tell me anything, what’s up with that? You keeping secrets from me now?

Peter scrambled for a lie in the midst of his own confusion, stuttering “Well, I just know how much you love surprises so, I thought, I would let you know…” Swallowing the lump in his throat Peter turned to Tony and asked “Uh, anyway what did I apply for?”

“That’s what I’m here to hash out,” Tony said smoothly, as if Peter hadn’t just been stumbled over each sentence like a new-born calf.

“Right,” Peter echoed, feeling the breath leave his lungs in one swift motion. His spider-sense may not have been tingling, but his whole body, his _soul_ even seemed to be quaking with anxiety.

“Hash- hash it out… okay…”

* * *

**…**

* * *

Peter’s room was small, with a simple single bed and a desk to the far-left corner that was covered in scattered wires and deconstructed electronics. Star Wars posters were tacked onto each wall and any remaining inch of space was covered with news articles or printed photos of a surprisingly high quality. Tony couldn’t help but smirk at the few articles on the Avengers that were displayed throughout the mess, a poster or two stuck up by his wardrobe of Ironman and Thor to top it off.

It felt lived in - _homely_ \- and just like any teenager’s room, a little bit messy too.

But in his brief scan over the room Tony caught sight of something different, his gaze immediately drawn to the cat tower perched besides the window. It seemed out of place in the teenager’s room, jarring with all the science posters and space themed blankets on the bed. Tony even noticed the boy shift uncomfortably in the corner of his vision when he stared at it for just a bit too long.

And then, as if summoned by thoughts alone, a silver-furred face lifted above the edge of one of the platforms, staring down at the two with strikingly blue eyes. It was beautiful, with dark, contrasting stripes marking its face all the way down to the puffy tail that hung over the edge of the tower, staring at the new visitor with a sharp, cautious gaze. Its right eye was swollen with a bruise, but the injury didn’t hide the suspicion in its stare, piercing through Tony’s confident façade like a claw to skin.

Tony turned away from their little staring contest first and straightened out the imaginary creases from his suit uncomfortably. He wasn’t much of a cat person, that was all.

So looking back at the anxious boy by the doorway, Tony returned his focus back to the plan at hand. After all, they had less than 36 hours to get Rogers and his crew into custody before the army greeted them with the end of a gun squad, and Tony preferred to give them a chance to surrender before they made another stupid move. All he needed was numbers, enough to convince Steve to step down, and Spiderman was the perfect fit for the job.

The conversation began just as Tony expected, with Peter trying to outright deny any relation to the aforementioned vigilante only to completely stumble over his own flimsy lies when Tony found the familiar suit and webs that came with them. Tony had to admit, the kid had brains to engineer such a strong and durable webbing, and he would be lying if he said he wouldn’t love to see the formulas he’d created. But he could tell the more he pushed through Peter’s boundaries that he was growing uncomfortable, shown by the way he paced across the room to periodically scratch at the cat’s head who remained perched on the tower, watching the exchange calculatingly.

Peter never said a name, didn’t even mention the animal before falling onto his bed like a kicked puppy.

Said image only made Tony think about his own depressed puppy sitting out in the hallway, a twinge of guilt striking his chest at the absence of his soul guide. Buddy had been unusually disobedient when they’d arrived at the Parker’s apartment, zipping around wildly and nipping at Tony’s ankles, which only frustrated the billionaire who was trying his best to play a convincing lie to the kid’s aunt. Eventually he just pushed the dog outside with a firm command to _“Stay right here Buddy, I mean it!”_. He was glad the dog had listened and not just run back inside since soul guides could technically phase through any physical matter besides their attached soulmates.

So wanting to wrap things up as quickly as possible and not leave his soul guide alone in the hallway for much longer, Tony asked “Why are you doing this?”

When the boy just shot him a sceptical look he added “I got to know, what’s your MO? What gets you outta that twin bed in the morning?”

A tense silence consumed the room as Peter stared down at his hands absently, a war raging on in the depths of those brown orbs of his. Tony knew this was a lot to spring on him at once. Revealing his identity had obviously _not_ been a part of the vigilante’s plan at any point in time, but he could see the weight, the pressure pressing down on his young shoulders and Tony couldn’t help but feel sympathy for the boy. He didn’t want to drag him into this fight if he wasn’t ready, so he had to be sure.

And finally, with a tense sigh, Peter began heavily “Because… Because, I’ve been _me_ my whole life, and I’ve had these powers for six months… I read books, I build computers… and yeah, I would love to play football, but I couldn’t then so I shouldn’t now.”

“Sure, because you’re different,” Tony replied matter-of-factly.

“Exactly, but I can’t tell anyone that so I’m not,” Peter said, the devastation in his eyes when he finally glanced up at the billionaire knocking him off guard. Tony could see the loneliness in Peter’s eyes like a mirror, and it scared him that such a young soul, someone who had stared at him in the hallway with such reverence and awe could have such grief in his heart too. It didn’t seem right…

But taking his silence as a question, Peter swallowed deeply and elaborated “When you can do the things that I can… but you don’t, and then the bad things happen...” Peter looked up at Tony with a haunted determination, stating coldly “They happen because of you.”

Suddenly, Tony understood. Peter felt a responsibility -an obligation perhaps- to use his powers for good, for those less fortunate than him. A determination forged only from the depths of trauma shimmered in his eyes, and Tony would know, because it was the same driving force he had felt when he’d finally escaped that damn cave in Afghanistan. And though he couldn’t be sure, Tony had a feeling Peter’s own demons had something to do with his late uncle, who police reports had stated was murdered right in front of the boy almost five months ago. It wasn’t a stretch to assume that such an event would lead Peter into the life of a vigilante, providing justice that his uncle never got.

Rubbing his knuckles thoughtfully, Tony asked “So you want to look out for the little guy? You want to do your part… make the world a better place and all that…?”

“Yeah, just- uh, just looking out for the little guy…” Peter replied meekly.

Rising to his feet, Tony glanced over at the far window, briefing staring back at the intimidating furball still perched on the cat tower before looking back to the door. There were two options: Leave, and let this young vigilante continue his small-town patrols in peace. Or take him to Germany and put him on the battlefield, possibly getting him injured in the process.

Tony wanted to say no. He wanted to walk straight out of that door and leave this small ray of innocence alone in the world, allow Peter to continue his little game without the politics of the real world getting in the way. But he was also _desperately_ in need of help, and from his extensive research, he knew Spiderman could easily hold his own in a fight. He was running out of time and options, and Peter Parker was the only hope he had left.

So sitting down beside the teenager after ushering his leg aside, Tony offered a comforting pat on the shoulder before asking suddenly “Got a passport?”

Peter looked immediately spun out. “No, I don’t even have a driver’s licen-“

“Ever been to Germany?” Tony cut him off swiftly.

“No.”

“Oh, you’ll love it,” Tony smiled.

If the boy looked confused before he was stunned now, replying incredulously “I can’t go to Germany.”

“Why?”

“Cause I’ve got… homework,” Peter finished lamely, leading the billionaire to roll his eyes and mutter “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.”

“I’m being serious!” Peter stuttered as Tony casually approached the door again. “I can’t just drop out of school!”

“Might be a little dangerous,” Tony continued, oblivious to the teenager’s protests. “Might have to tell Aunt Hottie I’m taking you on a field trip-“

Suddenly there was a sharp whistle and a strange sensation hitting Tony’s skin, glancing down to see his hand now stuck to the doorknob in that iconic spider webbing. The man glanced up at Peter with a knowing smirk.

“Don’t tell Aunt May,” was all the teenager requested, his eyes firm despite the obvious apprehension.

“Alright Spiderman,” Tony smiled, the tension finally easing between the two before Tony jerked his head towards his hand and snapped “Get me out this.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Peter stumbled as he went to collect some neutralising chemicals from his desk.

Once Peter had freed the billionaire of the webbing and they had both explained the sudden excursion to May -who was less than enthused to say the least-, they made their way back towards the front door to say their goodbyes.

“My driver Happy will be here in an hour to sort out the paperwork,” Tony said as he slipped on a pair of gold-tinted glasses.

“Happy?” Peter chuckled.

“Don’t let the name deceive you,” Tony warned, turning back to face the boy and offering his hand. “We’ll be seeing each other soon, Mr Parker.”

“Right, uh- see you soon, Mr Stark,” Peter said as he shook his hand with a barely contained smile. And boy was his excitement just contagious, chasing away the fears and doubts that had been weighing on Tony’s shoulders since Barnes had first escaped. They would be back before long but for just a moment, Tony could pretend he wasn’t about to throw this kid into a battle with soldiers and assassins, and that it had been the meeting he always planned to have with the vigilante someday or another. Quiet, and simple, and an offer for something better. No battles or wars involved.

But life wasn’t always fair, so flashing the teenager one last smile he swung the door open and practically melted at the sight of the dog jumping excitedly at his feet. “Hey Buddy,” Tony murmured as he stepped out of the apartment to greet his friend. He didn’t usually talk to his soul guide in front of others even though he knew people who did, but Buddy had far too much pent-up energy for him not to acknowledge his presence. The dog was practically about to knock him over if he jumped up one more time.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough!” Tony laughed as he wrestled the dog back onto all fours, turning back to Peter who was watching in amusement from the doorway. The man was about to open his mouth and explain that his soul guide was just being excitable, and that’s why he was looking like an idiot in the hallway talking to thin air, when Peter said something Tony didn’t expect. Something he almost _never_ expected to hear from anyone.

“Oh wow! I didn’t know you had a dog, Mr Stark.”

Tony froze almost immediately, glad that the glasses managed to cover his eyes that must have been bulging out of his head by now when he glanced up to stare at the boy. Peter was smiling down at Buddy though and remained completely oblivious to the billionaire’s shocked expression. Did he even realise what he’d just said? It couldn’t be right, there had to be a mistake-

“I was wondering who he belonged to when I first saw him,” Peter said warmly, before reaching out and scratching behind Buddy’s ear just like Tony did. Actually _touching_ him. Not gliding through him like air, but proper physical contact with the obviously pleased retriever.

How was that possible though? The only person besides Tony that should ever be able to _see_ Buddy let alone touch him is his-

Tony’s heart stopped.

He was certain of it. How else could he explain the sudden lack of oxygen coursing through his body or the darkness that overtook his vision for a split second. He had to be dreaming right? Because if this boy in front of him was actually seeing and feeling and _talking to_ his soul guide, then that could only mean one thing.

Peter Parker was Tony Stark’s soulmate.

His eternal friend. His loyal supporter. He was Buddy’s original soul, and he was responsible for any and all emotions or personality his soul guide held.

But if Peter was his soulmate, then where was Tony’s counterpart soul guide? He hadn’t seen any animal with Peter when he first walked in, and the only animal related things in the entire apartment were on old bird stand where May’s soul guide used to sit and…

Tony wanted to facepalm himself. It was that damn cat that had been staring at him the entire time in Peter’s bedroom, sharp eyes full of distrust and unease. That’s why the cat tower seemed so out of place in the room. That’s why there was no lingering cat fur or litter boxes throughout the apartment. That’s why Peter kept going back to it whenever he got nervous, seeking the comfort of his soul guide when Tony had just spilled all his secrets over the floor.

For a genius, Tony felt like an absolute idiot.

“You alright, Mr Stark?”

Peter’s voice drew Tony back into the moment, glancing at the boy to see him watching him with concern, Buddy giving him the exact same look just below. Tony shivered. Judging from his still puzzle expression, Peter didn’t even realise what bombshell he had just dropped on the older man, which meant he didn’t realise that he had unknowingly found his soulmate.

Should he say something? Should he be the one to break it or should Peter find out for himself? Tony didn’t know what to do.

But when the teen continued to stare up at Tony with growing concern, the man pulled himself together enough to murmur “Yes, yes, I’m fine, just… lost in thought, that’s all.”

Peter offered a sympathetic smile, and it pained Tony just to see the gentleness in his young eyes. “Okay, well, I’d better get packing if we’re going to get to Germany tonight,” Peter said with an excited hitch in his voice.

“Right, Germany…” Tony replied hollowly.

Should he call it off? Should he make Peter stay back from the fight? After all, this was a world-bending revelation. Anyone else on the planet would celebrate finding their soulmate, throw a party and scream to the world that they’d found them! _They’d found them!_

Tony had dreamed of the day he would finally meet his soulmate long before Buddy had first arrived in his arms. He imagined their first meeting would be filled with triumphant hugs and tears, which would then lead into a day-long party with Pepper and Rhodey and Happy and everyone else who had joined him along this crazy ride. He wanted everyone to know that he’d done it! He finally found his soulmate, someone who would always care for him, no matter what. That Tony Stark was not alone anymore.

But when Tony looked at Peter, at that childish smile and pair of warm chocolate eyes, his pure delight over finally meeting his soulmate shifted to a cold dread.

Peter Parker was too good for Tony Stark. Even after only speaking with him for less than ten minutes, Tony knew this boy was destined for great things. He would change the world- no, he would _save_ the world. He was better than all the Avengers in the galaxy combined; stronger than Thor and more selfless than Captain America.

And certainly, without a doubt, better than Tony Stark in every way.

Really, he should have known his soulmate would be as such. Buddy was far too loyal and friendly and loving to not have had a counterpart like Peter, which only made a sharp embarrassment flair up in Tony’s chest at the mere idea of being Peter’s soulmate. He wasn’t as heroic as him, not as humble, not as gentle or patient or forgiving. What could he even offer the young superhero that was actually of value?

Guilt crawled up Tony’s spine like ice, sucking away any semblance of warmth he once felt towards this magnificent revelation and replacing it with dread. What if Peter didn’t want to be his soulmate? If the boy even knew half of the mistakes Tony had made throughout his life, he would shut that door in his face so damn fast.

“Mr Stark?”

Tony blinked himself back to reality, surprised to find his vision blurry with unshed tears that Peter couldn’t see behind the shades.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asked again, genuine worry leaking into his tone.

Tony swallowed heavily.

_It’s me Peter, I’m your soulmate. I finally found you. I’ve been waiting for so long…_

“Yeah kid, I’m fine.”

The words felt like acid to his tongue, but he masked the bitterness with a smile and left with a rushed goodbye and stiff wave, disappearing around the corner before he could change his mind. Buddy was at his side almost immediately, pressing into his leg with concern which only made Tony feel worse. He didn’t want Peter to worry about him, not now that he knew how much pressure was already upon the young boy’s shoulders. The last thing he needed was Tony’s emotional crap to top it off.

So forcing that calm façade to cover his expression again, Tony returned back to the tower to prepare for the upcoming battle, the entire time wondering why he didn’t just tell Peter the truth…

* * *

**…**

* * *

Tony left for Germany a few hours earlier than Peter and Happy were scheduled to fly. He told himself it was because he needed to prepare for the meeting at the airport, and not because he was trying to avoid the boy who would be on the jet if he’d waited.

The entire time since leaving the Parker’s apartment Buddy had become unbearably clingy, rubbing his head into Tony’s hand and leg with a saddened whine. He knew Buddy was just trying to help, but that meant _Peter_ was also trying to help, and that was the last thing he wanted. At first the man just tried to ignore the dog’s attempts at comfort, only to realise that his cold attitude might make Peter’s soul guide unfairly snappy or even aggressive, and so he defeatedly allowed Buddy to smother him in affection. It seemed undeserved, but Tony refused to let Peter suffer through his low moods.

When they finally arrived in Germany Rhodey was already waiting at the airport, ready to drag Tony into all the preparations that needed to be discussed. In a way he appreciated the distraction. Organising the rest of the team and planning out the best approach to Rogers and his crew drew his thoughts away from the elephant in the room, focusing his nervous energy into a more productive cause than drowning in his own regret.

Within a few hours the trap had been set and everything was in place to catch the rogues. Tony had been too much of a coward to face Peter again to fill him in on the plan, and simply relayed the instructions through Happy instead, hoping his own hesitance wouldn’t end up disrupting the team. They couldn’t afford to let Rogers slip away, this _had_ to work.

The plan was simple; approach peacefully and attempt to negotiate a truce. Once back on home territory they could organise this mess through the _correct_ channels, and all going well, there would be no need for a fight. Fighting was the _last_ thing Tony wanted to do.

So, as fate would have it, only five minutes after exchanging their first greetings, the Avengers and the rogues had burst out into an unforgiving brawl. Soldiers against assassins. Spies against kings. Machines against enhanced. Friends against friends.

Tony tried his best to stay focused throughout the chaotic battle, but his thoughts were constantly getting drawn back to the spider-theme vigilante somewhere across the airport. He hadn’t heard from Peter since his brief introduction to the disgraced captain, and not knowing the state of his soulmate was sending him on edge. He didn’t even have Buddy to reassure him this time.

Hours before Rogers had arrived Tony had given Buddy strict instructions to stay out of view, because even though no one could harm his spirit guide, he didn’t want Peter to find out about their connection in the midst of the confrontation, distracting both him and Tony from the real mission here. And like the obedient dog he was, Buddy found a shadowed spot by a few crates where Peter wouldn’t see him and watched his companion from afar.

When Peter jumped onto the scene at Tony’s signal, the man felt his chest tighten at the sight of the snow-white Siberian cat that trotted across the grounds to follow, eyeing him briefly with those icy blue eyes. It solidified the idea that Peter still didn’t know that Tony was his soulmate, that Tony could _see_ his soul guide and decided not to tell him, which only made the guilt in his stomach boil over uncomfortably.

And now it was all out warfare; everyone on Ironman’s team trying to catch the escapee Barnes while constantly being thwarted by Steve’s band of rebels. Every attempt they made to pursue was foiled within two steps, and to top it all off, the small trickster Antman had switched his game and become enormous instead, effectively blocking everyone from Rogers and Barnes as they headed for the jet.

Tony’s patience was growing thin, and still all he could think about was _‘Peter, Peter, where is Peter?’_

So after just narrowly escaping a disembodied airplane wing getting thrown his way, Tony snapped through the comms “Okay, anybody on our side hiding any shocking and fantastic abilities they would like to disclose? I’m open to suggestions.”

And where he expected some of the more senior teammates to chip in, he felt his heart clench when Peter’s voice chimed instead “Hey guys… you ever see that really old movie… ‘ _Empire Strikes Back’_?”

“Jesus Tony, how old is this guy?” Rhodey asked scornfully.

“I don’t know, I didn’t carbon date him,” Tony growled, unsure if he was defending his own honour or Peter. “He’s on the young side.”

“You know that part,” Peter continued, getting broken off with jagged breathes as he swung around the giant ahead like a gymnast. “When they’re on the snow planet… with the walking thingies?!”

Like a lightbulb going off in Tony’s mind, he finally understood what the kid was doing and murmured with an inexplicable amount of pride “Maybe the kid’s onto something.”

“High Tony, go high!” Rhodey called.

And like they had planned it from the very beginning, Ironman and War Machine fell into perfect sync as they blasted into the giant’s helmet with a fierce punch, knocking him off his feet thanks to Peter’s skilful webbing at his knees. The towering figure fell backwards as if in slow motion, and Tony felt his chest flutter at the sound of Peter’s excited chatter.

“Yes! Yes! Oh, that was so aweso-“

His exclamations were cut short by a winded gasp, and Tony felt his heart drop as soon as it had lifted.

“Kid? Kid you there?” he asked, the desperation leaking into his tone despite how hard he tried to hold it back. “Spiderman check in.”

To his utter dismay, the line remained silent.

“Friday, what happened to the kid?”

_“I’m sorry boss, but my connection to the Spiderman suit has been disconnected from a severe impact,”_ the AI replied regretfully. _“I cannot pinpoint Mr Parker’s locations or read his vitals.”_

Cursing under his breath, Tony didn’t waste a second longer before dropping down to the tarmac and whipping around towards the blasted cluster of crates a few paces away. If Friday couldn’t tell him Peter’s condition, then Buddy definitely would.

But racing around the splintered wood, Tony felt his chest tighten painfully when he saw his soul guide lying eerily still behind the cargo boxes. “Buddy? Buddy wake up,” Tony said, his voice sounding awfully naïve considering the sight before him.

The dog remained unmoving, and Tony almost collapsed to his knees beside the golden retriever in sheer panic as he began running his metal-encased fingers against his fluffy head. The light rise and fall of Buddy’s chest was Tony’s first reassurance, and after a quick inspection, he found no signs of blood or injury on his beloved guide. It didn’t explain why he wasn’t awake or wasn’t responding to his voice but for now it was enough, and Tony instinctively scooped the dog into his arms to cradle him against his chest. It reminded him of the moment he first woke up to find the excitable puppy licking at his face, holding the dog close and crying and rejoicing at the fact that he finally, _finally_ had a soulmate.

“Jesus Peter,” Tony couldn’t help but laugh, tears prickling at his eyes. “You can’t pull shit like this on me, I got heart problems you know…?”

The dog didn’t stir despite his attempt at humour, and when gentle shaking proved fruitless as well, the panic swept back in. What if Peter had a head injury? What if he was internally bleeding, and that’s why Tony couldn’t see any blood on Buddy? What if- _what if-_

A terrified screech filled the air and startled Tony back to reality. The noise seemed so foreign on a battlefield once filled with gunshots and explosions that it took a few moments for the genius to register it, like an odd piece of a puzzle that just didn’t fit.

It sounded like… a cat?

And then -like lightning had struck- Tony’s heart sped up with realisation and _hope_ , jumping back to his feet with Buddy still held protectively against his chest as he rocketed into the sky. He followed the source of the cry purely on his own instincts, knowing that neither Friday nor Rhodey would have heard it. How could they? It wasn’t _their_ soul guide who had called out.

So trusting the connection with his soulmate like he never had before, Tony soon caught sight of that familiar silver fur sitting beside a set of destroyed crates, blue eyes turning to stare up at him pleadingly. Tony recognised the pure and utter helplessness showing on the cat’s face because he too felt the same heaviness weighing down on his own chest. The guilt, the fear, the _pain_. He felt it all, because this cat _was_ him in some weird, abstract way.

Touching down with his helmet retracted, the man asked breathlessly “Where is he?”

The cat sped off without another word and lead Tony towards a cluster of fallen boxes, scratching anxiously at one of the larger crates with a yowl.

“Got it,” Tony said as he laid Buddy down beside the cat with gentle hands. “Watch him for me, alright?”

The cat only hesitated for a moment before sitting down beside the dog’s head, his bushy tail pressing against Buddy’s ear comfortingly. Under different circumstances Tony might have thought about how he was essentially asking himself to protect his soulmate while he in turn saved his soulmate, but any of those questions washed away as he lifted the crate with ease. He shoved it aside the moment he knew it was safe and lowered himself to kneel besides the unconscious figure below, suit worse for wear and mask lifted just above the eye.

Reaching out anxiously, Tony asked “Kid? Kid you alright?”

Peter and Buddy jumped to life at the exact same moment, panicked and alert in the blink of an eye as they defensively turned on their protectors. Tony caught Peter’s wrists in his gauntlets when the boy tried to throw a punch at his face and called “Woah, same side kid,” while the cat swatted at Buddy’s nose with sheathed claws until the dog came back to reality. Both tactics proved rather effective in the end.

“Oh, Mr Stark,” Peter breathed when he finally recognised the man, leaning back against the concrete with a groan.

“Are you hurt?” Tony asked tersely.

Peter blinked his eyes, disoriented, but insisted “No, no I’m good Mr Stark, just- wow, that was really scary.”

“Yeah, you’re done, alright?” Tony said, his tone harsher than intended. “You did a good job, now stay down.”

“What? I’m good, I’m fine-“

“Stay down,” Tony cut him off firmly, not noticing the cat that was starting to bristle in the corner of his eye.

Peter looked almost offended at the notion as he said “No, no, I got to get him back!”

“You’re going home or I’ll call Aunt May! You’re done!” Tony snapped, about to rise to his feet and end the conversation at that when a sudden hiss to the left caught both men by surprise.

They both turned, eyes wide in shock -though for different reasons- and stared at the two animals sitting barely a foot away. Buddy was sitting up now after finally regaining his bearings and peering down curiously at the cat who had raised their hackles and snarled at the dog, pupils reduced to slits though their claws remained hidden. He didn’t appear angry per say, just… _frustrated_. And Tony realised with a pang of guilt that the cat was only acting as such because he was _feeling_ that way.

“Isn’t that… your dog, Mr Stark…?”

Tony went rigid at the question, too caught up in the idea that he had caused the cat to lash out to realise that _Peter_ had now seen the two soul guides together.

Turning to face the boy cautiously, Tony felt his skin pale when he saw Peter’s pinched expression, his eyebrows knitted tightly as he stared at the two in confusion. It took a few moments before he actually said something, the gears visibly turning in his eyes as he murmured “Why… why would you bring your dog…? And why- why can he _see_ my soul guide… that- that’s not possible… unless…”

Tony could see the confusion clear the moment Peter turned to face him, those familiar brown orbs gazing up at him and begging for confirmation. Begging for an answer that he already knew. Tony should have said something, _anything_ , but he wasn’t sure he could speak even if he tried.

“Mr Stark?” Peter asked when the man didn’t respond.

Tony hated the way Peter’s voice trembled at the name, immediately shutting his eyes to block out the image of his distraught expression. “Kid, I… I…” Tony rasped out, his lungs rattling in his ears. “Just… I can’t…”

There was a sharp intake of breath, followed by Peter’s firm hands on his own armoured ones as he breathed “No wait, you’re- you’re _serious_ … this can’t- I mean-”

“Stop, stop,” Tony said as he pushed Peter’s hands back towards his chest, mustering the courage the stare him in the eye as he muttered, “Not now, not like this… _please_ …”

The moment Tony saw the flash of hurt that crossed Peter’s face, he knew he’d made a mistake.

Releasing his ironclad hands in disappointment, Peter coiled his arms around his chest almost defensively, staring down at the tarmac with barely concealed tears. Tony hated it. Hated the devastated look on his soulmate’s face. And despite the layers of metal and wiring on his palms, Tony still felt the warmth leave his presence like blowing out a candle in the night. He suddenly felt incomplete, like he did in the days before Buddy had arrived in his life. It seemed wrong, and all he wanted to do was mend the tear in his soul.

But before he could even form an apology or take back his words, Peter turned his head away and murmured “I’ll wait then…”

Tony stiffened. “You… you’ll wait?” he asked hopefully.

The boy just nodded rapidly; his eyes still raw with pain but offering a weak smile, nonetheless. “Yeah… I’ll wait.”

Tony should have been overwhelmed with relief. Should have been overjoyed that Peter was giving him time to collect his thoughts, another chance to explain why he hadn’t told him they were soulmates from the beginning. And above everything, he should be _thankful_ that Peter was every bit the soulmate that Buddy had portrayed him to be.

Instead though, Tony could only muster a small nod in return before blasting back into action, his chest aching and head spinning the entire time he chased down the escaped Quinjet in the sky. Peter had given him not only space, but _time_ , which was something Tony had been desperately lacking lately. Which meant he had time to fix this, and not run away and ignore it like he had done since he left the Parker’s apartment. He wasn’t going to waste this opportunity.

He would fix this, no matter what.


	3. I Finally Found You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After learning the truth behind his parents' deaths Tony finally snaps, and both he and Peter pay the price. Perhaps they were never meant to meet...
> 
> Or maybe, they met at exactly the right moment...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, first off I just have to say thank you so, SO much for all your lovely comments and kudos and bookmarks! It's been so great seeing your reactions to the last chapter, and I cannot wait to see what you think about this one because it's pretty big!! I've been so excited about this one specifically, and I really hope it lives up to your expectations! I can't wait to see what you think, and I just want to give you all another huge thank you for all the support! It's been amazing!
> 
> -Superherotiger

Everything that had happened, every raw emotion that Tony had so desperately tried to hold back crashed into him in full force after that one video dated the 16th of December, 1991. One video. That’s all it took for Tony Stark to break. For his carefully constructed walls to shatter under the pressure in his lungs and the tears burning in his eyes.

For a stunned moment, he thought about everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. How quickly his life had changed in the span of a single day.

Finding out Peter was his soulmate.

Watching Rhodey fall out of the sky.

Listening to his mother’s stuttering breath before it was cut short by the same man standing barely a metre to his right.

It all came down at once. And like a house of cards falling from the smallest puff of air, Tony felt himself crumbled under the weight until all that was left was guilt, and fear, and so much _anger_. Anger at Barnes. At Steve. At himself.

Tony didn’t even realise he was fighting until Rogers started to retaliate. It all seemed to happen so quickly that the man couldn’t even keep up with his own actions, still feeling every punch and kick that graced his body but lacking the control to stop throwing them back. He was the audience to their brawl, trapped inside his head and left to watch the carnage. Tony thought he could hear a dog barking somewhere in the distance too, but it was drowned out under the pounding of his heartbeat and the blood rushing in his ears.

At first he was winning -whatever _‘winning’_ really meant in this situation- but the two enhanced super soldiers were quick to make a comeback, taking advantage of Tony’s unstable state of mind and knocking him down relentlessly. Before the mechanic knew it he was on the floor, and Cap was punching him so hard that stars crossed his vision, and it was getting hard to breathe -why was it so hard to _breathe?-_ and then the helmet was gone, and Cap was lifting his shield for a final blow and the only thing Tony could think in that moment was he’s going to die, he’s going to die, he’s going to _die-_

A dog howl split the air the moment the shield hit Tony’s arc reactor with a deafening clang, acid rising in his throat when he realised the metal was crushing into his ribs at the impact. It was terrifyingly familiar, but this time there was no Yinsen to save him, no weapon to create, no escape to be hatched. There was just him, in a powerless suit, staring up at the man he once called a friend. The same friend that was going to kill him.

The captain stared down at Tony mournfully in that small moment of silence, his face torn with guilt as he drew in each laboured breath. For a second Tony wondered if he might change his mind. Might finally see the damage he had left in his wake and make a turn for the better.

But whatever sadness he might have felt for his former teammate vanished the moment he tore the shield out of the iron chest-plate and trudged over to the wounded assassin on the floor. Pulling the Winter Soldier to his feet they started to walk away, prepared to leave Tony there in the cold bitter snow after beating him into the ground.

Tony spat something at the disgraced captain about the shield, about his father, hoping to get some kind of reaction, maybe even a hint of guilt. But all Steve did was drop the shield and continue walking, until both he and the murderer he called a friend were out of sight. Gone. Just like that.

Cold and acidic emotions brewed in Tony’s chest as he spat out a clot of blood and watched it soak into the pure white snow below. The arc reactor was damaged beyond repair, and he could still feel the sharp metal edges where the chest-plate had bent digging into his skin. Pain rippled across his entire body when he tried to lift himself from the icy floor, only to fall back against one of the pillars in exhaustion, the suit that once protected him now weighing him down like a boulder.

He wasn’t a super soldier. He wasn’t enhanced. He couldn’t take a beating like that and bounce back like they could.

So taking a moment just to breathe, Tony tried to get a hold of himself before he could spiral into his own dark thoughts. There was blood in his hair, he could feel it dripping down his neck, and he was almost certain he’d broken a few ribs too. He attempted to activate Friday but the AI remained unresponsive without a suitable power source, ruling out the option to send for help or even escape this hellhole.

To sum things up; a broken suit, a dropping temperature, and enough bruises to last a lifetime. Tony was having a pretty shitty day to say the least.

The idea that he might die out here, completely alone, crossed his mind, and Tony forced his eyes shut to stop them from stinging so much. He couldn’t die. Not like this. Not with the way everything had been left with the accords, and Rhodey, and _Peter-_

God, he couldn’t die without seeing Peter again. That thought alone was enough to make his heart beat twice as fast.

And then suddenly, the sound of scratching against the concrete filled his ears, and Tony wondered if Cap had come back to finish the job. He was almost too afraid to open his eyes and find out, but then a jolt against his chest practically forced his body back into action as he readied to defend himself. He wasn’t going to die without a fight, that was for sure.

But where he expected to meet the cold eyes of Steve Rogers, he instead met the familiar brown gaze of his dearest friend.

“Buddy?” Tony gasped, relief and horror washing over him at once.

The dog stared down at his friend with concern and anxiously padded around his side, seemingly unsure how to approach the beaten hero. He lifted a paw to Tony’s chest again but when the man bit back a painful hiss from his broken ribs, the dog went back to pacing around to find a better vantage. Tony could only watch tiredly as his companion finally found a spot in the crook of his arm to settle in, leaning his head into his neck and thankfully avoiding his battered torso.

“I’m alright Buddy,” Tony said, cringing at the way his voice shook with each word.

Unsurprisingly, Buddy didn’t believe him, and released a sympathetic whine in response.

“I’m fine, I swear I just- I just…”

Tony couldn’t find the strength to finish his half-baked lie. What was the point anyway? Buddy always knew when he was lying. When he denied having a nightmare in the middle of the night the dog would just lower his ears, completely unconvinced, and wait up with him until he fell back asleep. When Tony told him he had eaten when in fact he hadn’t eaten the entire day, the dog would give him that funny look again until he was forced into making a meal for himself. It was fair to say he could sniff out Tony’s bullshit a mile away.

So leaning back against the cold concrete, Tony did something he hadn’t really done before. He told Buddy the truth.

“I think… I think I really messed up… y’know, more than I usually do,” Tony sighed as he ran his fingers through Buddy’s soft curls. It was different because he couldn’t feel his fur through the gauntlet, but Buddy made sure to compensate by rubbing his head into Tony’s chin affectionately, as if urging him to continue.

“I wish… Christ, I wish I’d just told the kid the moment I realised… I should’ve just said it, like a normal person,” Tony muttered sourly. “I’m such an idiot, god I’m such an idiot…”

Buddy pressed further into his side, providing a contrasting warmth against the winter air.

“I wish I were with you right now kid,” Tony admitted wearily. “I wish I’d taken more time to talk to you, and get to know you, instead of runnin’ away…”

He could feel something lodge in his throat as his voice tapered off, desperately trying to hold back the emotions threatening to explode from his chest. But he _needed_ to say this. He couldn’t wait a second longer. So turning his face into the dog’s golden fur Tony whispered shakily “I wish I’d told you Pete, I wish I’d told you. But I was just so- so damn _scared_. Because I don’t deserve you. Really, I never have. You’re so much better than me… so much better…”

Buddy released a saddened whine, leading Tony to wrap his arms around his companion tightly and bury his face into his fur. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… you deserve so much better Peter,” Tony whimpered as he felt his ribs ache in protest. “I want to take it back, please… let me try again…”

His voice faded into slurred pleas, begging for another chance to make things right, to not leave him alone. He was losing consciousness fast -probably from the blood still leaking from the back of his head- but he didn’t care. Didn’t stop the pleading or apologies or promises until his voice had spiralled into wordless sobs instead.

Buddy just held on tighter to his companion, wrapping his paw around Tony’s neck when the man grew too weak to embrace him back. He desperately wanted to hold on, but the dark spots in Tony’s vision were growing larger by the second, threatening to consume the world in shadows.

“Don’ leave me…” Tony begged, his voice a husky whisper. “Please… don’ leave…”

A soft rumble rolled in Buddy’s throat, his message loud and clear.

_I won’t leave, I’m here, I promise…_

And with that, Tony felt the last of his energy slip away until there was nothing left but darkness.

* * *

**…**

* * *

When Tony next opened his eyes he was met with a bright, sterile light, flinching away instinctively until his surroundings came into focus. Judging by the medical equipment and bleak white walls Tony realised he must be in a hospital room, stripped of his suit-turned-tomb and now adorned in a light blue gown with his chest bound tightly in bandages. Everything still ached like hell but when he glanced down to his right to find Buddy curled up to his side sound asleep, he felt the pain ebb away.

Buddy had stayed, just as he’d promised. His loyal companion till the end.

Slowly, Tony began running his fingers through the scruff of the dog’s neck, relishing in the familiar sense of warmth it filled him with. Tony stood by his word. He never really deserved Buddy, or Peter for that matter. But now instead of fear, all he felt was a steely determination to make things right. He would fight till his dying breath if it meant he was finally worthy of a soulmate like Peter.

After calling for a nurse and insisting he was fit enough to leave, Tony managed to convince the doctors of his health before swiftly getting discharged with the recommendation to rest for a couple of weeks. He -of course- ignored such advice and instead called Happy to pick him up, waiting barely five minutes before a sleek black car rocked up along the sidewalk. Tony had to assure the driver multiple times that he was completely fine before he actually let him enter the car, and before long they were setting off down the road towards the hotel that Happy was residing at.

“Care to fill me in on how I ended up in a German hospital just now?” Tony asked tightly after a few awkward minutes of silence.

Happy’s grip on the steering wheel tightened ever so slightly, gazing over at the man for a brief moment before answering “I was able to track your suit’s last active location and flew you back here. I considered going back to the states, but you were in bad shape boss. I didn’t want to risk it.”

Tony’s brow knitted in confusion as he fiddled with the zipper of his borrowed jacket. “How did you know I was missing?” he asked.

When his question was met with silence, Tony glanced back up at the driver to see he’d gone pale, his eyes blown wide with distress. Arching a brow, Tony pressed “Happy, is there something you need to tell me?”

Happy’s shoulders were as tense as a bow string, lines creased into his features as he replied reluctantly “It was… it was Peter.”

Tony stiffened immediately, his heart skipping a beat.

Mistaking his silence for a signal to elaborate though, Happy mumbled awkwardly “I could hear the kid yelling about something in his room, the- the walls are pretty thin. I thought he was getting attacked at first and I was about to check on him when he was suddenly at my door and telling me about his, uh… his cat. Said you were in danger, that you were dying so I went to check it out and…”

Happy’s words trailed off, never explicitly saying it but the question still clear in his eyes.

_Is it true? Is the kid your soulmate?_

Tony didn’t feel the need to answer. It was fairly obvious considering the circumstances, and yet he also felt it wasn’t right for anyone else to know when he and Peter were in such a rocky place. They’d barely had a chance to speak thanks to everything with Rogers and the accords and the last time they’d spoken Tony had been a complete _idiot_ and pushed the boy away. He’d seen the look on Peter’s face. The devastation. The _rejection._ He would give the world to make sure he never looked that way again.

But he couldn’t take that moment back. All he could do now was fix it and hope that Peter would forgive him for being so stupid.

“How’s the kid?” Tony asked suddenly, unable to help but worry for his soulmate.

Happy picked up on his anxiety almost immediately and said “He’s fine. Little beat up after the battle but alright otherwise.”

“You said he was getting attacked?”

“Sounded like it,” Happy replied, a hint of wariness in his tone as he added “He didn’t say anything, but I think the… cat, may have been scratching him.”

Tony nodded slightly as guilt swelled in his chest. “Where’s he now?”

“At the hotel,” Happy said.

“I want to speak with him.”

Happy’s face screwed up in confusion, pointing out sharply “It’s 4am boss, I think he’ll be asleep.”

Glancing over his shoulder at the back seat, Tony levelled his gaze with the golden retriever sitting restlessly on the leather cushions, eyes as alert as an eagle. “He’s not asleep,” Tony answered simply before turning back to stare out the window blankly. Happy didn’t dare speak again for the rest of the trip.

When they entered the practically deserted lobby of the hotel, Happy handed Tony a spare key and told him the level and numbers to both his and Peter’s rooms. He told the billionaire that he was going to go for a short walk but Tony had a feeling it had something to do with those thin walls he’d mentioned earlier, and silently thanked Happy for being such a considerate friend. So, with a grateful nod and an unspoken _‘good luck’_ from Happy, they went their separate ways.

Buddy stuck to his side like glue the entire time they travelled up the elevator, rubbing his head encouragingly into Tony’s palm while his heart began to speed up to an unhealthy rate. He couldn’t help but wonder if he was making another mistake. What if he just made things worse? He had a habit of ruining everything he touched, maybe it was better if he just turned away right now and left the kid alone like he always should have? Maybe things would be better if they’d never met…

But then the elevator stopped, and Tony’s legs were moving of their own accord and forcing him down the eerily silent hallways. Buddy fell in step with his companion as the numbers along the walls climbed higher and higher, feeling himself falling victim to a hurricane of emotions as his body continued to count the numbered walls methodically. And with each step closer to his destination Tony felt his lungs constrict under his bandaged ribs, rubbing his sternum in a nervous tick as he spaced out completely. The only thing that tethered him to reality at all was Buddy’s soft paw-steps at his side, the dog growing more tense with each new door they passed, as if he knew what was about to happen.

Tony must have zoned out more than he’d realised though because the next time he blinked he was standing in front of Peter’s room with his hand raised against the door, ready to knock and face his soulmate again. Stomach clenching with anticipation, Tony tried to pull his stuttering breathes back to a regular pace and glanced down at Buddy to find the dog staring back at him reassuringly, those brown orbs filled with patience and concern.

He could do this. He could do this. He was Tony Stark, nothing could-

The door swung open without warning to reveal a panic-ridden teenager standing in the doorway, his curls sticking out wildly and his eyes bloodshot with exhaustion as if he had been awake for days. His skinny shoulders were covered with a woollen blanket that coiled around his arms where he held a familiar looking ball of fur to his chest protectively, but it was his face that caught Tony most off guard, his expression conflicted with so many powerful emotions that Tony couldn’t even begin to decipher them all.

“Peter,” Tony breathed, anything he had been planning to say falling away like sand through his fingertips.

The boy winced at his voice, and Tony was about ready to breakdown all over again at the sight before Peter shifted his arms and glanced down at the cat wrapped up in the blanket, eyes blown wide and claws digging into the Peter’s shirt. _Oh_ , Tony realised. It was the cat, not him that he’d flinched at. Which, in turn, was still Tony’s spirit, so…

“You’re hurt,” Peter’s voice cut through his train of thought, causing Tony’s head to snap up in surprise. The teen was carding his fingers through the cat’s soft fur as he stared at Tony with a scary amount of determination, leading Buddy to press against his leg to copy Peter’s comforting actions.

Awash with guilt and an undeserved rush of warmth from Buddy’s touch, Tony murmured “I’m fine kid.”

“Don’t lie to me,” Peter almost snapped, startling the older man. “I know you’re hurt.”

“I’m not hurt,” Tony repeated firmly.

Peter leant back on his heels, arching his brows in disbelief and rendering Tony speechless yet again because that was the _exact_ same look Buddy would give him when he knew he was lying. “If that’s true, then what happened to your chest?” Peter asked sharply.

“How- how did you-?”

Twisting his body slightly so the cat was in full view, Tony froze when he saw the crimson blood staining the feline’s chest, long since dried but still jarring against the pure silver coat. Just below the layers of fur Tony saw the edge of a raw, open wound crossing in the same direction the shield had hit his chest, and he couldn’t help but shiver.

Peter winced again as the cat’s claws dug further into his chest in an unforgiving grip, causing Tony to settle his own nerves in response. When the man finally pushed back the dark memories of Rogers beating him into the snow, he was pleased to find the cat had relaxed his death-grip on Peter in favour of burying his bruised face into the boy’s collar instead. Tony didn’t care so long as it meant he wasn’t hurting Peter anymore.

Running his hand down the cat’s back in soothing motions, Peter had a far-off look in his eyes as he murmured “I’ve never heard Tiger scream like that before…”

A rush of emotions crashed into Tony at once. He wanted to apologise to Peter for having to see that side of him, for the way his soul had lashed out and graced him with invisible marks. He wanted to wash away that horrified look in his eyes forever. But instead, Tony found his lips tilting into a smirk as he asked fondly “You called my spirit Tiger?”

Peter’s face dropped, his cheeks burning an impossibly bright shade of red as he ducked his head away in embarrassment. _Ah, there’s the Peter I know,_ Tony thought in amusement.

“I… I’ve always… it-it was the stripes and- uh, y’know-“

“It’s a good name,” Tony chuckled, deciding to put the kid out of his misery from trying to explain it. When Peter still refused to look up again though, Tony scratched the top of his soul guide’s head and added lightly “Better than what I came up with. This softie here is Buddy. Not very original, I know.”

This time Peter did look up, just enough to gaze over the golden-furred retriever at Tony’s side with a meek smile. “I like it,” he said, reaching out and grazing his fingertips over Buddy’s ear. The dog licked his hand enthusiastically in response, probably glad to get some kind of physical attention from someone other than Tony for once. And when a soft giggle bubbled up from Peter’s throat at the dog’s affection Tony felt his heart soar like a kite.

After giving Buddy one last scratch behind the ear Peter reluctantly glanced back up at the billionaire, shifting his feet for a moment, before Tony noticed his eyes drift down to his chest again. Sighing, Tony pulled the jacket tighter around his torso as he said, “It’s fine now, just a scratch.”

Peter didn’t look completely convinced, but after a brief glance at the mark on his soul guides chest, he nodded at the man carefully. “Were you attacked?” he asked.

“I’d rather not talk about it,” Tony replied hoarsely.

Thankfully Peter seemed understanding, asking instead “Are you okay?”

“I’m alive, so that’s something,” Tony joked, before realising the boy’s face was anything but amused. All he could see was concern. Concern about _him_. It was strange to see someone he barely knew caring so deeply about his health, but then Tony remembered that Peter _did_ know him, he’d known him for fifteen years without even realising.

So allowing his expression to soften, Tony ditched the humour route and answered sincerely “No, um… I’ve been better kid, but I’ll get through it.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

Despite the guilt that tugged at his heart Tony found himself smiling fondly at the teen. “You’ve already done that Underoos.”

Peter looked a little surprised at the nickname at first, ducking his head slightly as he murmured “That was Happy, not me.”

“And how did Happy know I was in danger in the first place, huh?”

“Mr Stark…” Peter sighed, rubbing his hand over his weary eyes and reminding Tony for the first time that night that it was actually 4 in the morning and the kid probably wanted to sleep. But he needed to talk to him. He’d been so close to death, so close to never standing here right now, and Tony couldn’t bear the thought of waiting any longer.

“I know it’s late kid, but I think this talk is long overdue,” he said, his voice strained.

Peter looked up at the man with a cautious gaze, what seemed like guilt flashing across his expression before he lowered his head once more. “Can… Can I talk first?” he asked awkwardly after a few moments of silence.

Tony was surprised to say the least. He’d thought about this moment for a while, how their conversation might go when Peter had finally realised their connection, but he’d never expected this.

So nodding along stiffly, Tony replied “Alright…uh, shoot.”

Peter inhaled sharply and shifted from foot to foot as if he were about to give a speech, his eyes darting everywhere except his soulmate in apprehension. Perhaps Tony hadn’t been the only one thinking about this moment either. Perhaps this was the part where Peter told Tony to get lost and not bother him again, just like he expected him to.

But as soon as Peter started to speak, his voice quiet and shaking, Tony felt his heart drop like a stone.

“I know… I know I’m not anybody’s… _first choice_ for a soulmate, and I know you’ve probably got better things to do than talk to some kid from Queens…” the boy said, staring down at his socked feet as he continued sombrely “But, I just wanted to say that… that I’m glad I got to meet you, and… I’m sorry…”

Tony, alright drowning under a flood of emotions, could only stutter “Sorry? Sorry for what?”

Peter just shrugged his shoulders as if what he said next wasn’t about to shatter his soulmate completely.

“Sorry that you got stuck with me…”

Revulsion fired through Tony’s veins at the mere suggestion that Peter could ever be a burden and before he knew it he was muttering fiercely “How could you- no, no, I never meant- Christ kid I’m not _‘stuck with you’_. How could you even- how could you even _think_ I would be disappointed about meeting you?”

Peter looked up with those wide brown eyes, and Tony felt his breath hitch when he noticed the tears welling inside them. “You… you didn’t say anything about it, and then- and then I saw the way you looked at me at the airport and I just- I didn’t…" Peter shook his head suddenly, his eyes and lips pressed shut to stop the overwhelming emotions from escaping. Even Buddy released a saddened whine.

Tony’s frustration dissipated in an instant, reaching out peacefully as he murmured “Oh no, no kid, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… this is my fault, not yours.”

Peter sniffled but didn’t lift his eyes, and Tony realised with a sudden dread that he was just going to have to bite the bullet and say it. Say what he needed to say when they first met. So taking a deep breath to make sure his voice didn’t waver, Tony began softly “That day at your apartment when you touched Buddy, and I realised that you were my… that I’d found my… I- I couldn’t believe it. I was so, _so_ happy, so excited to meet you after all these years that I just… _froze_ like a complete idiot.”

Tiger mewled softly, and Peter instinctively moved to reassure his friend despite the tears still present in his own eyes. “Yeah that… uh, that makes a lot more sense now,” Peter said lightly, his lips tilted into a watery smile. Tony might have felt relieved at the humour in his tone if it hadn’t been overcast with doubt a second later, the boy biting his lip nervously before asking “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Sighing deeply, Tony looked at the dog by his side and remembered how Buddy looked at him in Siberia. How he held him in that cold and unforgiving bunker and listened to his desperate ramblings the whole time. How Peter, in turn, had been cradling Tiger to his chest the entire time and never let go, not even now when Tony was out of danger and simply overwhelmed. Buddy stayed with him, and so did Peter. He always did.

So the least Tony could do was be honest with him.

“I was looking at you… looking at this selfless and caring young hero that helped people because he knew he could make a _difference_ and realised that maybe…” Tony was the one to advert his gaze this time, staring at his shoes as he finished quietly “Maybe _you_ would be disappointed about _me_ …”

“Are you kidding?” Peter asked incredulously. “You’re like the coolest person in world! Not everyone can say their soulmate is Tony _freaking_ Stark!”

Tony couldn’t help but scoff. “Not everybody has had to live with a part of me for fifteen years either.”

Peter glanced down at the cat in his arms with unfiltered and unashamed _love_ , his voice as soft as a whisper as he explained “Tiger… he’s my best friend. I’ve known him since I was born, he’s always been with me… I wouldn’t change him for the world.”

“You sure about that? From what Happy told me he was tearing into you like paper earlier,” Tony replied bitterly, though it was mostly directed at himself.

“Happy couldn’t see or hear what I could,” Peter said, his voice growing firm as he ran his thumb over the cat’s ear tenderly. “Yes, Tiger was scratching me, but he was just- just _scared._ He didn’t mean it… he never does…”

Tony felt his shoulders sag, knowing he wasn’t going to win this battle. He could tell the boy a million times that he was dangerous, that all he did was hurt him, and Peter still wouldn’t let go. So reaching forward, Tony brushed the back of his knuckles against the cat’s soft pelt, saying honestly “…He’s the part of me I wish you’d never have to see.”

“He’s the part of you I love,” Peter replied immediately, only for his cheeks to grow bright red again and add on timidly “I mean… He’s gentle, and caring, and watches over me when I can’t sleep. He protects me, and he’s always got my back… I couldn’t have asked for a better friend.”

“But you deserve so much better than me,” Tony said defeatedly.

“I _want_ the soulmate I have; with the soul guide I love. No one else,” Peter stated, that fiery determination burning in his eyes as he levelled his stare with Tony’s.

It filled him with such untampered joy that Tony could barely breath, that same rush of excitement and relief from the day he first realised their connection hitting him full force. “Shit kid,” he chuckled in the hopes Peter wouldn’t see the tears blazing in his eyes. “You’re the best damn soulmate I could have asked for.”

Peter’s lips lifted into a mischievous smirk, quipping softly “You’re not half bad either, Mr Stark.”

The laugh that rose up from Tony’s throat in response felt so warm, so natural. He hoped he could feel like this all the time. And now that Peter was here, now that Tony was still _alive_ , there might be a chance.

Silence fell upon them for the first time in minutes, not quite as tense as before, but still charged with emotions. Peter shuffled awkwardly in the doorway for a second as he waited to see who would make the first move, but Tony still felt he had more to say. The most important thing he had left to say; an apology.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner kid,” he said, genuine guilt leaking into his voice. “I’m sorry that I ruined what should have been a happy moment, and I wish I could take it back.”

Peter offered a weak smile, though Tony didn’t miss the sorrow that crossed his eyes too. “It’s alright Mr Stark,” he assured him, rubbing the remaining tears from his eyes as he suggested “Maybe we can… maybe we can start again?”

“Yeah?” Tony asked, shamelessly hopeful.

“Yeah.”

“Well…” Tony cleared his throat, hiding away his utter relief for a second chance and held out his hand jokingly. “We’ll be seeing each other soon, Mister Parker,” he said, echoing the very words he’d spoken only a few days ago.

“Right,” Peter played along, shaking his hand firmly as he said through a smirk “See you soon- oh wow Mr Stark!” He pretended to look shocked as he glanced down at Buddy, exclaiming “I didn’t know you had a dog!”

Tony admired the kid’s overdramatic retelling and decided to follow his lead, clutching his chest with a gasp as he stuttered “Th-This dog? You can see this dog right here?”

Obviously trying to stifle a laugh, Peter replied “Of course, Mister Stark.”

“My god, but that- that’s my soul guide,” Tony proclaimed in utter disbelief, glancing back and forth between the dog and the boy to add to the effect. He was more than pleased when Peter let out an amused snort in reply.

Stepping forward and resting both hands on the teen’s skinny shoulders, Tony waited until Peter was staring up at him with a fond smile before whispering theatrically “Do you know what this means Peter? I think this means that you are actually… my _soulmate_.”

Another laugh bubbled up at the same moment a loose tear slid down Peter’s cheek. “That’s pretty amazing,” he murmured, staring up at Tony with the same look he gave Tiger only moments ago. A look of pure _love_.

And then Tony was pulling the boy into a tight embrace, overwhelmed with a feeling of belonging and hopefulness as he held his soulmate close for the first time in his life. The tears that he had so valiantly tried to hold back rushed forward without warning until he was sobbing into the boy’s chestnut curls, relieved when he felt Peter’s shoulders heaving with silent cries as well. And much to his relief, they were tears of _joy_. He knew, because Tiger and Buddy were both making happy little noises in response, nestling against their partners in triumph.

They did it, they finally found each other, and the animals were more than thrilled. It was probably the most satisfying thing to happen for a soul guide, after all.

Speaking of the animals, Tiger was surprisingly well-mannered despite being squished between the two soulmates, even purring contentedly which sent a rumble of warmth in their direction. And much to Peter’s credit he never let go of Tiger either, one arm cradling his companion while the other twisted into the back of Tony’s jacket in a desperate hold.

Not wanting to miss out on the action though, Buddy jumped up to join the embrace excitedly until Tony was forced to hold him upright with one arm, allowing the dog to lean into Peter’s side affectionately. Peter just laughed when Tiger stuck his head out from beneath the blanket to stare down at Buddy curiously, the two entranced for a good few seconds before Buddy pressed forward and started licking the cat’s face, much to his displeasure.

“I guess I can text you to go to back sleep whenever I find Tiger awake at 3am now, huh?” Peter teased, his head still leaning against Tony’s chest. The man barely noticed the ache of his ribs underneath his overwhelming happiness.

“So long as I can text you to pipe down when Buddy’s being a little shit,” Tony shot back with a smirk.

Peter gasped, feigning offence as he replied “That dog? Impossible. He’s an angel, just look at him.”

“All I see is mischief,” Tony said, side-eyeing the grinning dog suspiciously.

“You’re just looking at it from the from the wrong angle, that’s all,” Peter chuckled, before they fell back into silence. It was comfortable though. _Safe_. Like every moment that Tiger curled up with Peter on a bad night, or every time Buddy guarded Tony on a bad day. They fit together like pieces of a puzzle, finally and forever _complete_.

“I’m so glad I found you…” Peter whispered into Tony’s collar, his voice shaking with relief.

Tony smiled into Peter’s hair as he felt his heart swell with an immeasurable amount of adoration for this kid. His _soulmate_. His world had been shattered in the wake of Roger’s betrayal, but with Peter by his side, he could make it. Because Peter would never leave him, and Tony would never leave Peter. They would stay as a team, just like they had been for fifteen years. Always, and forever.

“Me too kid, me too…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we are, it's finished! What did you think? I really hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Also! Some people have asked if I'm going to be writing more for this AU, and so I wanted to check with you guys whether or not you'd be interested in me continuing this? If so, would you prefer I stick to canon events like Homecoming and Infinity War/Endgame, or branch out into original plot-lines? Please let me know!
> 
> Thanks again so much for reading and all the amazing support this has received, it means the world to me! I hope you have an amazing day everyone!  
> -Superherotiger

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


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